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St. Bernadine of Siena holds a staff with
the monogram of the most Holy Name of Jesus - IHS - on the top
surmounted by a cross. Painting by El Greco.
St. Bernardine of
Siena, Friar
Minor, missionary, and
reformer, often called the "Apostle of Italy", b. of the
noble family of Albizeschi at Massa, a Sienese town of which his
father was then governor, 8 September, 1380; d. at Aquila in the
Abruzzi, 20 May, 1444. Left an orphan at six Bernardine was brought up
with great care by his pious aunts. His youth was blameless and
engaging. In 1397 after a course of civil and canon law, he joined the
Confraternity of Our Lady attached to the great hospital of Santa
Maria della Scala. Three years later, when the pestilence revisited
Siena, he came forth from the life of seclusion and prayer he had
embraced, to minister to the plague-stricken, and, assisted by ten
companions, took upon himself for four months entire charge of this
hospital. Despite his youth Bernardine proved fully equal to this
task, but the heroic and unremitting labour it involved so far
shattered his health that he never completely recovered. Having
distributed his patrimony in charity, Bernardine received the habit of
the Friars Minor at San Francesco in Siena, 8 September, 1402, but
soon withdrew to the Observantine convent of Columbaio outside the
city. He was professed 8 September, 1403 and ordained 8 September,
1404.
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